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Posted: 12/26/2003 1:31:17 PM EDT
| Just purchased a PWA stripped lower from a dealer. I've used RRA in the past and was told by the dealer that PWA is a good product, made by the same company that puts out Armalite and Eagle. Been doing research and all I can find is PWA was once in Washington state and is now out of business? Can anyone tell me if PWA is still making lowers and if I got the bone?? |
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Gus is right. The PWA lowers are superb. I currently have several rifles in my collection built on PWA lowers. No problems, good forgings, good machine work, good BLACK anodizing. PWA (Pac West Arms) was located in Olympia, WA. The city name stamped on all their lowers was Milan, OH. They went out of business in 1992 as I recall. They never sold complete rifles, just lowers, individual parts, and what we now call kits, but never any barrels. It was some kind of a tax thing the owner once told me. |
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There are still recently manufactured post-ban PWA lowers out there, produced in Milan, ILLINOIS. RB Precision had some, or access to them, last time I wanted one. RRA used several thousand post-ban forged PWA lowers before their own lower got ATF approval. The two receivers are very similair, but not identical. All that I've ever seen were forged, although I am told that there were some cast PWA lowers very early on, as well. Sluggo |
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I've got a PWA and it's great. One minor issue is that some magazines that will fit in my Bushmaster (beat up, nasty, used as hell G.I. magazines) won't fit in my PWA, but that was like two of my magazines. I guess the well is a bit tighter? Still, good stuff. mrf2 |
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Gunrunner, You are, understandably, mistaken. RRA bought and used PWA lowers initially until their own lowers were approved, the toolings were done, etc..There is no licensing or any other attachment between the RRA marked lowers and PWA, PWA's manufacturer, or PWA's license. PWA did and does have very good lowers. So does RRA. Very similiar, but different animals at this time. Sluggo |
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I researched my PWA Commando lower before I bought it several years ago. PWA, as stated, is long out of business. If you want to find out if yours is a PRE or POST, Brownells can help you. I asked the local ATF office if they would do a serial number check for me before I bought it and they took two weeks to tell me they didn't know. Brownells answered my question in about a minute. I spoke to a RRA rep a few years ago and asked why they stopped using PWA's. The rep wasn't specific, but he said that it was for business reasons, NOT because PWA's were deficient in any way. I haven't had any issues with mine. |
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Quoted: I spoke to a RRA rep a few years ago and asked why they stopped using PWA's. The rep wasn't specific, but he said that it was for business reasons, NOT because PWA's were deficient in any way. As was mentioned before, those "business reasons" are that PWA is out of business. I'm sure RRA began having problems procuring PWA lowers when PWA was tits up. |
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Quoted: PWA is the stop sighn lower right? If it is... It looked kinda nasty to me. I know it was purely functional, but the lower looked a little rough. I shoulda baught it. [img]http://photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=19709[/img] |
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Quoted: I researched my PWA Commando lower before I bought it several years ago. PWA, as stated, is long out of business. If you want to find out if yours is a PRE or POST, Brownells can help you. I asked the local ATF office if they would do a serial number check for me before I bought it and they took two weeks to tell me they didn't know. Brownells answered my question in about a minute. I spoke to a RRA rep a few years ago and asked why they stopped using PWA's. The rep wasn't specific, but he said that it was for business reasons, NOT because PWA's were deficient in any way. I haven't had any issues with mine. How does Brownells do a search, and is there a number to call? |
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